


Road trip

by NYWCgirl



Series: Waking up to [2]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Aftermath, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Head Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Road Trips, Team as Family, life altering injuries, taking care of each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:29:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27555385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Mac and Jack make a road trip in an attempt to heal Mac.
Series: Waking up to [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006953
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	Road trip

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was written for comfortember prompt nr. 14 and is set in the ‘Waking up verse’

‘So Mac, are you ready for this road trip?’

‘I’m ready.’

‘Did you bring your journal and telephone?’

Mac shows his satchel.

‘OK, let’s lock up and get this show on the road.’

Mac takes his seat on the passenger seat of the big camper van. Jack came up with the idea when his doctors suggested Mac should try to get new impressions and not to dwell on the past too much. A road trip seemed like the perfect idea. So Jack had asked a friend for a favor and voilà, they have a camper van. They loaded their stuff, not that they need much. Mac’s medication is the most important since he still has bad headaches and an occasional seizure.

‘Ready?’

‘Let’s go.’

Mac smiles and holds out his fist and Jack happily bumps it. He starts the van and backs out of the driveway. He is not sure where they are going or how long they are going to be away.

* * *

‘Man, how cool is this?’

Jack looks at the scenery in front of him. He never took the time to go on a road trip and they saw some great things. But the Grand Canyon if breathtaking. He takes a selfie with Mac and Mac hums. Jack is immediately alert.

‘Are you not feeling well?’

It seems to take Mac some time to process the question. Too long in Jack’s experience.

‘I don´t know.’

‘OK, let’s go back to the van.’

Mac nods, not putting up a fight, which alarms Jack even more. He is happy he started the generator so the air-conditioning kept the camper cool. Once Mac is inside, he squeezes his eyes shut. A clear sign that he has developed a headache. Jack slowly guides Mac to the bed in the back and sits him down. He takes Mac’s shoes off and tells him to lay down. While Mac crawls under the blanket, Jack wets a washcloth and takes Mac’s pills. Luckily they are melt tablets so he doesn´t have to worry about drinking.

‘Hey kid, here is your medication, open your mouth.’

Mac opens his mouth, accepting the tablet. He grimaces when the taste hits his tongue. Jack places a wet washcloth over Mac’s forehead and eyes. He can tell Mac slowly starts to relax. It won’t be long before he will fall asleep.

Once Mac is asleep, Jack makes a note in Mac’s journal. On days like this Mac will wake up confused and won’t remember what happened. Jack makes himself comfortable on the couch with his tablet, contacting his cousin Nick, who they will visit in their next stage of their trip.

* * *

‘Hey, I recognize this road, we’re driving to my grandpa’s house.

‘You’re right. We are going to visit Bozer, remember?’

‘Yeah of course, but I really know this road. We will need to take the next exit.’

Jack smiles, that is what the GPS says, so Mac is right. Mac continues to tell things they are going to encounter. Eventually Jack parks on the driveway of a bungalow.

‘This is my house!’

‘It is.’

Bozer must have heard them because the front door opens and Bozer comes out.

‘Bozer!’

Mac gets out of the van.

‘Hey Mac, good to see you buddy. How are you? Let’s go inside.’

Mac wears a bright smile. The house is familiar so Mac knows his way. Jack follows behind the two friends, giving them space to catch up.

‘I left your room as it was, so you can stay there. And I made a bed in the spare bedroom for Jack.’

‘Thanks man.’

‘Have you eaten yet?’

‘No, we drove in one go. Mac wanted to get it over with.’

‘I know how it is Mac. Well I made some chicken noodle soup.’

* * *

Mac wakes, disoriented as always. He gets up. What did he do to feel like this? He is home, in his own bed, but he has no recollection of getting in the bed. Even worse, shouldn´t he be in the sandbox?

Getting out of bed, he wants to take clothes out of the closet, but there aren´t any. Taking the clothes that are on the chair, he walks into the bathroom. When he is done, he follows his nose into the kitchen.

‘Good morning Mac, sleep well?’

‘Yeah, but I had this strange feeling when I woke. The last thing I remember is being in the sandbox with Jack and now I am here, home. Is Jack here?’

‘Yeah, he is sleeping in the spare bedroom. Are you OK?’

Bozer looks concerned but Mac nods his head, although his gut tells him something is wrong. He clearly remembers being at base in Afghanistan, but he is home instead.

‘DO you want some waffles?’

‘Yeah, that would be nice. Thanks.’

Mac sits down at the breakfast bar, trying to make sense of everything.’

‘You have some waffles for me too?’

Mac looks up at Jack.

‘What’s going on Jack?’

Mac can see Jack’s face fall a bit, he tries to hide it but Mac knows Jack well enough to pick up on it.

‘I’m sort of freaking out Jack. What is going on? How did we get here?’

‘Did you read your journal?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Calm down Mac, I suggest you read it and after that we will talk.’

‘Jack, level with me, man. What happened? Why aren´t we in the sandbox anymore?’

‘Calm down Mac, I will tell you.’

Mac doesn´t want to relax but it is clear something is seriously wrong. Jack walks into his room and comes out with the journal that was on the nightstand and his phone. He hands them to Mac, who accepts them. On the journal is a sticky note in his handwriting, READ ME.

‘Spill it, Jack!’

‘You were severely injured in the sandbox and we have been Stateside for a couple of months now. You are still healing.’

Mac tries to find something in Jack’s expression that he is kidding, but it isn´t there.

‘You are telling the truth.’

‘I wish I wasn´t kid,. It is all in your journal. The doctors said it would be good to experience new things, so we are on a road trip. The camper is outside.’

‘But we’re home.’

‘You are visiting me Mac. You live in Texas now. It was easier with your treatment and hospitalization.’

He lives in Texas now? This isn’t making sense. He walks towards the window, and there is a camper outside.

‘Is it like this every day?’

He can hear Bozer asking Jack.

‘No most days he reads his journal when he wakes, I think he was thrown off when he recognized the room.’

He turns around and walks back to his friends. Nothing makes sense but he does know he trusts them and he is hungry and Bozer’s waffles are to die for, so why waist them. They will figure it out.


End file.
